1999 Fleer Tradition #391 Paul Byrd

The Phillies added another option to their growing stable of back-up/Plan C/reclamation-type non-roster invitees yesterday, signing righty Joel Pineiro to a minor league contract.  He's the 16th and perhaps final non-roster invitee set to suit up in Clearwater in just 30 short days.  Pineiro appeared in 27 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2011, going 7-7 with a 5.13 ERA.  He started 24 of those 27 games.

Player (position) - 2011 Organization - Last Major Cardboard Appearance
16.  Joel Pineiro (rhp) - Angels - 2011 Topps #263 (Angels)

Not knowing much about Pineiro, I headed over to Baseball Reference.  Save for a three-year stint with the Cardinals from 2007 to 2009, Pineiro has spent the majority of his 12-year career in the American League with the Mariners, Red Sox and the aforementioned Angels.  The information I found most interesting on his BR page was the listing of fellow pitchers with whom Pineiro shares the closest Similarity Scores.  Topping the list were former Phillies Paul Byrd and Vicente Padilla, now a member of the Boston Red Sox.

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Of course the bigger news from yesterday was the announcement that the Phils and Cole Hamels had avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year $15 million contract.  Hamels, who can become a free agent following the 2012 season, is rumored to be seeking "Cliff Lee Money" which could translate to a 5-year, $120 million contract.  The Phillies also avoided arbitration with utility infielder/late inning reliever Wilson Valdez, who agreed to a one-year, $930,000 contract.